Sarah Baulch and John Dalton have returned to Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary, three decades after tying the knot at Britain's highest pub.
The couple, from Essex, were married at the 17th-century pub on 6 August 1996. They revisited the site with their children, 29-year-old Max and 25-year-old Millie.
A wedding combined with a walk
Sarah, a 59-year-old retired primary school teacher, and John, a 63-year-old retired IT account manager, first learned about Tan Hill – which sits at 1,732 feet (528m) above sea level in Swaledale – in a farming magazine. It was the first pub in the country to obtain a licence to hold weddings, after laws changed in 1995.
“We’re keen walkers and once we realised it was on the Pennine Way we thought we could combine the walk with a wedding,” Sarah said.
Families brought the essentials
With only their walking clothes, rucksacks and tents, the couple relied on their families to bring the bridal essentials. In the pre-digital era, all communication with the venue was by letter or phone call.
About 60 friends and family made the journey north to the secluded pub, with John’s parents bringing Sarah’s wedding dress and her sister bringing the flowers. “We even brought a band up from Colchester and we just took over the whole pub. A registrar came from nearby Richmond and we danced and partied long into the night,” Sarah said.
Return visit and upgrades
For their 30th anniversary return, the plan was to walk the Pennine Way again, stopping overnight at Tan Hill Inn. However, temporary ill health put paid to the walking element of the trip. “We were determined to get back to Tan Hill,” Sarah added.
Sarah and John’s wedding was held in what is now the dining room, and weddings now take place in an adjacent, purpose-built barn. The pub’s nine bedrooms, many of which are dog friendly, have also been completely upgraded.
“The improvements really are wonderful, but the best thing is they haven’t changed the pub itself and all the character and history are still there. It was lovely to come back,” Sarah said.
Owner Andrew Hields said: “To the best of my knowledge Sarah and John are the only couple who have stopped off en route to get married here. It just shows how versatile Tan Hill is – you can pop in for a pint and a pub lunch or listen to some live music and stay overnight. And, since John and Sarah tied the knot here, we’re welcoming more bridal couples than ever.”
